Among the services the Orland Park Public Library provides are opportunities for area teens to provide service to the community. On two recent weekends, that meant helping out some pets that need new homes.
Erin Faxel, the facility’s teen department librarian, said she organizes opportunities for teens looking to help their community several times a year.
She said four to 12 teens show up at the events, which also are opportunities for the teens to knock out service hours required by some schools and organizations.
But December’s opportunity was the first time their volunteer service project benefited the Animal Welfare League in Chicago Ridge.
Faxel said the agency was chosen after speaking with teens during the summer who wanted to do charity work for animals during the holiday season.
She said the Animal Welfare League seemed to be the largest shelter in the area with the most need.
On Dec. 1 teens created advertising flyers and donation boxes to collect everything animals need, including shampoo, baby food, litter boxes and food for dogs, cats, guinea pigs and ferrets.
And on Dec. 30 volunteers came back to organize the donations and pack them into an SUV, so Faxel can deliver them to the shelter.
The four kids who came to help on Saturday each had their different reasons.
Kaylee Sullivan, 11, of Orland Park, didn’t initially know her volunteer efforts were benefiting the Animal Welfare League, but finding that out made the work even more special, she said.
Her family adopted a rescue dog — a Labrador mix named Duffy — two years ago from that agency and Kaylee wanted to give back some of her time to any animal shelter.
Although it had been about a week since Christmas, Kaylee and the other volunteers still had the spirit of the season.
“She loves animals,” said Kaylee’s mother, Cathy Sullivan. “I think it’s nice for her to give this time of the year.”
Zach Adduci, 13, of Orland Park, said he was volunteering because he loves animals and he also needed a volunteer hour for his continuing Christian education program at his church, St. Julie’s in Tinley Park.
Elena O’Connor, 12, of Orland Park, said she also needed a volunteer hour for her church, St. Damian in Oak Forest.
And Maggie Goetz, 17, of Homer Glen, said she needed the volunteer hour for her National Honors Society membership at Lockport Township High School.
For help loading the large and heavy dog food bags, Faxel grabbed a couple of library employees, Paul Rubio and Josh Chalifoux.
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The volunteers also loaded items under the library’s giving tree, including hats, gloves and scarves intended for Orland Park Township residents in need of them.
Seven volunteers had signed up for the event, but Faxel assumed the extreme cold temperature that day had kept a few inside their warm homes.
In all, the donations filled the SUV from floor to roof and front to back.
Frank Vaisvilas is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.